Automatic web wrapper feed



Feb. 23, 1965 H. H. WHEELER ETAL 3,170,353

AUTOMATIC WEB WRAPPER FEED Filed April 14, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 /30 INVENTORS HENRY H.WHEELER NEAL R.PARLATORE ATTOR N EY 4 Shets-Sheet 2 H. H. WHEELER ETAL AUTOMATIC WEB WRAPPER FEED Filed April 14. 1961 Feb. 23, 1965 INVENTORS HENRY H. WHEELER NEAL R.PARLATORE ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS HENRY H. WHEELER NEAL R. PARLATORE ATTORNEY Feb. 23, 1965 H. H. WHEELER ETAL AUTOMATIC WEB WRAPPER FEED Filed April 14, 1961 vow wow @&

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W\ 0 o 8. Q 0000 00 000000 000 mi wQ UnitedStates Patent 3,170,353 AUTUMATEC WEB WRAPPER FEED Henry H. Wheeler, Newtown, C0nu., andNeal R. Parlatore, Laurelton, N.Y., assignors to American Machine Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 102,983 11 Saints. (U. 83-476) This invention relates to machines for shaping web material and particularly to a high speed single. die machine for shaping binders or'wrappers from tobacco web, in the machine manufacture of cigars.

One type of machine, which performs the same broad function which the machine of the present disclosure is designed to perform, ordinarily comprises a turret having two dies, each brought into cutting position alternately, for shaping a binder or wrapper from the web tobaccomaterial. i a

In operation of the double-die turret machine, one die is positioned to receive the tobacco web which is cut by the die to the desired contour, and the other is positioned beneath a transfer mechanism which picks up the binder or wrapper after it has been cut and deposits it on a table of the cigar making machine, in which the next succeeding operation is to be performed. The dies in the turret are rotated 180 degrees in a horizontal plane during each operating cycle, so that the two dies are alternated between the cutting Sand transfer positions.

The binder or wrapper of a cigar is considerably longer than it is wide and in these double-die turrets the die which cuts the wrapper or hinder, the shape of which die conforms to the shape of the binder or wrapper,

is positioned so that its long dimension is in line with the direction in which the tobacco web is advanced over the die. 7

There are certain disadvantages to orienting a die so that its long dimension is aligned with the direction in which the tobacco web is fed to the die. One disadvantage is that the length of traverse over a die so disposed is proportionately longer than if the width of the die were aligned in the direction of feed of the web in the ratio of the length to the width of the die. It is to be understood that a binder or wrapper is wound helically about the substantially cylindrical tobacco core, so it is longer than the cigar and that its length is much greater than its width; The ratioof length to width of the binder or wrapper, and consequently of the die used to blank it out, may be, for instance, six or more to one; t

In modern cigar machines having web tobacco feeds, the tobacco web is drawn from a supply reel by coacting rollers driven intermittently. The leading end' of the web is first laid on a fixed suction table in the bed of the machine. It is then picked up by the movable suction head and carried over the die table where it is deposited, as suction is transferred from the moving head to the die table, where a section of it is shaped to an appropriate conformation by the cutting die. The intermittently driven rollers are actuated toaid in the feeding operation onlylwhile the leading end of the web is being drawn over the die. At other times the feed rollers are stopped. 'As a result of each cutting operation a new leading web end is formed at the edge of the fixed suction table adjacent the die table.

With reference to the effect of the foregoing operation on the product, one controlling factor in the'design of the tobacco web is that it must be capable of withstanding the required tension for the interval while it is being drawn from the reel and delivered to the fixed suction table and for the interval while it is being drawn from the fixed table to a position over a die 3,170,353 Patented Feb, 23, 1965 table. The longer the traverse, the longer the required period of application of tension and the-greater its distorting effect on the relatively thin tobacco web. The tensile strength of such tobacco webs as have been developed up to the present is quite low and the web tobacco material tends to stretch and distort under tension.

Another diificulty inherent in pulling the thin tobacco web, which is observable when tension is applied to nearly all ribbon-like products, is that the longitudinal edges of the web tend to curl. The effects of stretching and distortion, including curling, are more pronounced, the narrower the web and the longer the traverse. Where the tobacco web is not properly formed to withstand the required tension for the required interval, weak areas are sometimes produced in the binder or wrapper, which interfere with the subsequent manufacturing steps as well as with the ultimate smoking enjoyment.

' To counter the difiiculty of web edge curling it has been found necessary to use wider webs than would otherwise be required in order to "provide a generous overlap of the web over the width of the .die as heretofore disposed. Attention is called to the fact that, when a strip of material, which might otherwise be made quite narrow, in correspondence with the width'of a narrow die, is required to be widened suiiiciently that its curled edges lie safely beyond the cutting edge of the die, there will result a waste of material in proportion to the increased width, as compared with'the required width. Where a width of two inches of web, for instance, would suflice, were there no curling, and a width of two and one-half inches is required, to counteract curling, there is a waste of twenty-five percent of the tobacco Web material. This obviously is reduced as the strip is widened. When a tobacco hinder or wrapper die presents its narrow dimension in alignment with the direction of travel of the web, assuming the same allowance of one-half inch in width of strip, to counteract curling, and a ten-inch length of die, the waste to accommodate curling is but five percent. A factor tending to further minimize this relatively low'percentage is that there is less curling at the edge of a wide web than there is at the edge of a narrow web under tension.

There is another important advantage resulting from the use of a wide versus a narrow web. When a wide web is used, if the thickness of the web remains unchanged, the area of the cross section to which tension is applied is greater.. There is less breakage and permanent stretching of the web. The requisite thickness of the web to permit traction thereof no longer i an important factor in web design. This affords greater freedom of choice in its elements and fabrication.

With respect to the effect of the change in position of the die with relation to the direction in which the tobacco web is fed thereto on the structure of the webfeed mechanism per se in a cigar-making machine, it will be apparent that the length of the mechanism may be materially shortened. The shortening, in general, is about equal to twice the difference between the length and width of the die. This is because, in addition to the shortening of the mechanism afforded-by the changed position of the die itself, the length of table anterior the die, on which the leading end of the tobacco web is placed, prior to transfer to the die, is correspondingly shortened. The advantage of shortening would be minimized if the total area remained unchanged. However, the necessary increase in width of the mechanism to provide for the wider web is not significant as, for reasons of stability, and in order to accommodate the cooperating parts of the mechanism, the width of the web feed mechanism has generally 2% been substantially greater than that of the tobacco web and the increased width in machine necessary to provide for the wider web is less than proportional to the increased width of web. The structure of the present machine, therefore, is sturdier, more compact, and requires less material in its construction.

There is, however, in addition to the foregoing, another and more important advantage in the present high speed web feed machine over its double-die turret prototype. The underlying reason for the employment of the doubledie turret is to increase the speed of operation of the machine. After cutting of the hinder or wrapper, it is necessary to clear the die by moving the formed hinder or wrapper and the trimmed scrap out of the path of the oncoming leading portion of web for the next cycle of operation. This obviously has to be performed after the die cutting of the binder or web has been performed. The transfer operation is performed by another movable suction head. When but one die is provided, the time of operation of the suction transfer head and scavenging mechanism, in preparing the die for the reception of the tobacco web for the following cutting operation, must be added to the time required for the sequential intervals of the other operations in a cycle. By providing a double-die turret, as described, since a die, after cutting a binder or wrapper, may be rotated into the position in the turret from which the cut web blank is transferred, in a shorter interval than required for the operation of transferring the cut binder or wrapper and scavenging the trim, some saving in operating time is effected by the double-die turret method, as the time for performing the transfer and scavenging operations need not be added to the duration of a cycle, but may be carried on while the succeeding cycle is in progress.

However, the double-die turret web feed machine is costly in that it requires a minimum of two expensive dies for each size of cigar in each shape of cigar, of which there are many sizes and shapes. Further, the double-die turret and its control mechanism are among the most costly items in a cigar machine.

In the present machine, because of the reduced length of travel required by the tobacco web feed suction head in moving the leading end of the web from the fixed table to a position over the die table, it has been possible to shorten the duration of a total cycle, including transfer of the cut hinder or wrapper and scavenging the trim, so that it is in fact slightly shorter than the duration of a cycle in the more expensive high speed double-die turret machine. This has been achieved while maintaining substantially the same revolutions per minute of the basic driving mechanism, the same rate of rotation of the intermittent web feed rollers, and the same rate of linear motion of the transfer suction head.

An object or the present invention is to improve the process of making cigars by machine.

Another object of the present invention is to improve cigar manufacturing machinery.

Another object of the present invention is to improve machine made cigars.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the time required to feed a tobacco web to a die by shortening the length of the transit required.

Another object of the present invention is to produce a more compact and rugged tobacco web feeding mechanism in a cigar machine.

Another object of the present invention is to effect a saving in tobacco web.

A feature of the present invention is a shortened transit of tobacco web to die.

Another feature of the present invention is a shortened cycle of operation of a cigar machine in which a binder or wrapper is produced from web tobacco.

Another feature of the present invention is the elimination of the double-die turret and the employment of a single die in a machine which produces a cigar hinder or wrapper from web tobacco, while reducing the time required for a cycle of operation, so that the time is less than that required by the double-die turret type machine.

Another feature of the present invention is the feeding of a tobacco web in alignmentwith the narrow dimension of a binder or wrapper die in a machine for shaping the contour of a hinder or wrapper of a machine-made cigar.

These and other featureswill become apparent in the following description when read with reference to the associated drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in section, illustrating the tobacco web feed mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the'drive and actuating mechanism of the tobacco web feeding device;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the web feeding and wrapper cutting mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a partial left end' elevation, partly in section,

- of the web feed and its actuating mechanism.

The web'feed mechanism of the present invention comprises a number of components well known in the art, which are described in detail in other patents and which will be described herein only insofar as it is necessary to an understanding of the present invention. There are four such components and these and the patents in which they are described indetail, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, are as-follows:

The support of the reel R from which the tobacco web is drawn, and the brake mechanism which applies a desired restraining torque to prevent overrunning of the reel R while the web W is being drawn off the reel R are described in Patent 2,846,010, granted to' H. H. Wheeler, August 5, 1958.

The cutting rollers, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 and the reciprocating controls therefor, are described in iatent 2,405,867, granted to H. H. Wheeler, August 13, 1946. i

The mechanism which supports the single die and controls therefor, which reciprocate the table vertically for the feed and cutting operations, are described in Patent 2,467,172, granted to H. H. Wheeler, April 12, 1949.

A transfer mechanism suitable for transferring the cut binder or wrapper to another table in the cigar manufacturing machine, where the next succeeding operation is to be performed, is shown in Patent 2,568,067, granted to V. G. Hanson, September 18, 1951.

The present web feed mechanism forms a portion of a complete cigar manufacturing machine. Only the few parts of the cigar machine itself, essential to an understanding of the operation of the web feed mechanism, are shown in the drawings herein. Thus the bed plates 2 and 4 are integral with the base of the cigar machine. The main shaft 6, FIGS. 2 and 4, on which are mounted three cams which coordinate the timing of the operations of the components of the present mechanism, is a portion of the'main shaft of the cigar machine. It is secured in bearings therein and is driven through gearing by a motor, all as is well known and, therefore, it is considered, not required to be illustrated. The shaft 8, shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 on which are mounted sleeves integral with arms carrying cam followers which engage the cams on main shaft 6, is also mounted in bearings on the main cigar machine.

Certain of the major elements secured to the base or bed plate 2 of the machine will first be mentioned, and the functions of the elements which they support will be described more in detail hereinafter.

A bracket 5, FIG. 4, is secured to the base 2 by four bolts 3, FIG. 3. Forming part of bracket 5 are two arms '7, FIG. 4, which support the web feeding mechanism per se. Mounted on bed plate 2, also, is a bearing bracket 9, having a horizontal axial boring which supports a shaft 11, on which sector gears forming part of the web feeding mechanism are rocked. Depending from the lower portion of bed plate 2 is a bearing bracket 12 in which the shaft 13 is supported. This shaft mechanism, shown best in FIG. 3.

. carries cranks having arms actuated by cams on main shaft 6., Also mounted on the top of bed plate 2 by means of bolts, such as 13, is a bracket 14, having a vertical axial boring to accommodate a rod which controls a plate valve. Secured to thebottom of the bed plate 2 is the'main suction control box 15, FIG. 1, through which .suction is applied to and disconnected from the various suction heads.

It will be observed in FIG. 3 that the die 38 is disposed so that its width, which is its narrower dimension, is in alignment with the direction in which the tobacco web W is fed to the die, as indicated by the arrow. The ratio of width of die to length of die varies for dies of differing shapes, however, the ratio indicated in the die shown in FIG. 3, in which the width of the die is about one-sixth of its length, may be considered typical.

It will be understood that thelength of the fixed suction table 32 on which the leading portion of web W is laid, need be but little longer than the die 30 is wide and that the combined lengths of the table and of the die will, therefore, be shorter than if the table were required to support a section of web long enough to permit transfer and cutting by a die having its longer dimensions aligned with the direction of feed of the tobacco web. It follows, as a consequence of the changed orientation of the die, that the length of time required to advance the leading end of the tobacco web from a position over the fixed suction table to a position overlying the die 30 will .be shorter than if the die 30 were positioned with its long axis along the line of travel of the web. I

Reference to FIG. .3 should also suggest that, assumingthe same thickness of tobacco web, atobacco web or band wide enough for cutting by die 30, when the die is oriented as shown in FIG; 3, will have a larger cross and-maintaining suction box 34 in a proper transverse position as it is reciprocated between platform 32 and openings 83 and 85, and the upper feed roll 82 is mounted in axial openings 87 and 89 in the bracket arms 7 on bracket 5. 7

Another sector gear 66, pinned to shaft 11, seen best in FIG. 4, meshes with a third gear 68 and drives an overrunning clutch 70, the opposite side of which connects to the lower feed roll 72 to actuate it. "The second gear 66 is actuated by the first sector gear 50 through a lug 74on the second sector gear, which lug coacts with a pairof screws 76, 77, best shown in FIG. 1, mounted on a pair of opposed lugs 78, 80 onthe first sector gear. The lug 74 on sector gear 66 projects between screw 76 in lug 78 and screw 77 in lug 80. As sector gear 50 moves away from the viewer, as seen in FIG. 4, screw 76 in lug 78 engages the forward side of lug 74, and actuates sector gear 66 away from the viewer, or clockwise, as seen in FIG. 1. As sector gear 50 moves toward the viewer, as

' seen in FIG. 4, screw 77 in lug 80, FIG. 1, engages the rear side of lug 74, and drives sector gear 66 toward the a viewer, as seen in FIG. 4, or counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 1. There is lost motion between the two sector gears. This will be explained in more detail hereinafter. The intermittent motion of the lower feed roll 72 is imparted to the upper feed roll 82 through gears 84 and 86' section and will, therefore, be stronger and less subject to distortion than a' relatively narrow ribbon of tobacco web 7 material, adequate to cover the die 30 if the die were turned through a right angle, so that its longer dimension were in alignment with the line of motion of the web.

The travelling suction box 34, FIG. 1, is mounted slightly. above fixed platform 32. The box 34 is secured to two racks 36, 38, one on each side of the web feed The racks transport suction feed head 34, carrying the web W across the die 30. These two racks 36, 38 coact with a pair of gears 40, 42 freely mounted on the lower feed roll shaft 44, FIG. 1. Another shaft 46, FIG. 3, having a gear 48 at the left and a gear 49 at the right, meshing with the gears and 42, respectively, keeps the gears 40 and 42 moving at the same speed, and the racks 36, 38 travelling in parallel. Under gear 40, and meshing therewith, is sector gear 50, FIG. 4, the lower portion of which has a hub 51 pinned to shaft 11. Secured to the right hand end of shaft 11, as shown in FIG. 4, is an arm 52, FIG. 1, depending from the free end of which is a bar 54, having its lower end connected by means of a stud 55 to the arm of a crank 56, FIGS. 2 and 4. The crank 56 has a hub with an axial opening, freely mounted on. shaft 13. The lower. arm of crank 56 carries a stud 57 mounted on which is a roller cam follower 58, which engages the periphery of cam 60. An elongated slot 64, FIG. 1, is provided in the arm 52 of the linkage which actuates sector gear for adjusting the travel of suction box 34 for different size dies.

As cam 60 rotates on shaft 6, crank 56 is rocked through its roller follower 58. Bar 54 is reciprocated vertically, rocking arm 52 on shaft 11, rocking sector gear 50, imparting oscillating motion to gear 40 and reciprocating motion to rack 36. The oscillating motion of gear 40 is transferred through gear 48 to shaft 46, gear 49, gear 42 and rack 38, moving the racks 36 and 38 at the same speed, as mentioned in the foregoing,

secured to the lower and upper feed rolls 72 and 82, respectively,,as shown in FIG. 4. The upper feed roll 82 is provided with sleeves at each end, which are urged downwardly by compression springs, such as spring 91, confined in openings in each of the arms 7.

The bracket 5 and base 2 are hollow, being cored out and connected to a source of suction, not shown, through duct 88, FIG. 1, which communicates through main suction box 15 to channel 92. From channel 92, a path for applying suction to the stationary table 32extends through port 93, FIGS. 1 and 4, an aperture in gate valve 98, when so positioned, and duct 94 to table 32. From channel 92 a path for applying suction to the moving head 34 extends through port 95, an aperture in gate valve 98, when so positioned, duct 96, flexible tubular connection 97, FIG. 3, suction clamp fitting 99 and duct 101.

Suction is applied in sequence to and disconnected from the fixed platform 32 and the travelling head 34 under control of a cam mounted on the main shaft 6 and a linkage which control the plate valve 98, FIG. 1, which opens and closes the ports communicating with the ducts 94 and 96, alternately, in proper time relationship. This will now be described. t

The plate valve 98 is fastened at its upper end, FIGS. 1 and 3, to a rocker arm 200. The rocker arm has a hub pinned on a shaft 201 secured to duct 94. Also pinned to shaftltil is a rocker arm 202, which is connected by means of a stud 204 to the upper end of valve rod 206. Valve rod 206 passes through bracket 14, FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, and connects to a rocker arm 208, FIG. 2, which has a hub with an axial opening limitedly rotatable on shaft 13. Integral with the hub is another rocker arm 209 which connects to adjustable rod 210,-tl1e lower end of which connects to the left hand end of lever 212, which is pivoted to and rotatable in a limited are on shaft 8. Arm 212 carries a roller cam 214 which engages with track 216 in cam 218.

As cam 218 is rotated on shaft 6, roller 214 rocks arm 212 on shaft 8, imparting vertical reciprocating motion to rod 206, rocking arms 202 and 280, FIG. 1 and reciprocating plate valve 98. The plate valve 98 is secured to bracket 5 by a housing 229 and bolts 222.

As plate valve 98 is reciprocated vertically, apertures in the plate valve are presented alternately in alignment with duct 94 and duct 96, so that suction is applied to and cut off from fixed table 32 and travelling head 34 alternately at proper times in the cycle.

' On top of the feed roll bracket are two arms, such as I arm 102, supporting a shaft 104 which carries a reel R of tobacco Web material W. The web material is drawn over an auxiliary feed roller 106", rotatable on' a shaft 108, mounted on an arm 110, rotatable on shaft 104. The tension of the web may be adjusted by applying any desired torque to reel R by any suitable brake band, the principal elements of one of which are shown in phantom in FIG. 1. Further details of a suitable reel and brake may be learned from Patent 2,846,010, mentioned in the foregoing.

The die 30 is supported in a hollow bracket, or die table 126, FIG. 1, which connects to the suction system through a channel 128, which in turn communicates by means of a channel 130 and a plate valve 132 to the main suction box15. The plate valve 132 is reciprocated vertically to control the application of suction to the die. 30 and the removing of suction therefrom by means of a connection at its lower end through stud 133, FIGS. 2 and 4, to the free end of arm 134 which has a hub 136, rotatable limitedly on shaft 13. Another arm 135 integral with hub 136 is connected through a stud 137 to rod 133. Rod

38 move in the direction of the arrow, as shown in FIG. 1. The leading edge of the web is transferred to the suction. feed head 34 by virtue of the change in suction from the platform 32 to the head 34. The forward speed of the rack carrying the moveable suction box 34 is equal to the peripheral speed of the rollers. The forward motion of the head 34 and rotation of the feed rollers continues until the web W has been pulled across the die 30. At this point, due to the contour of the cam controlling the motion of head 34, the suction head 34 dwells, while suction is transferred by operation of valve 132, as described, from the transfer head 34 to the suction head inside the die 30. Simultaneously with this, suction is again applied to the platform 32. The leading edge of the tobacco web is now drawn into engagement with the die and the platform 32 which are provided with perforations 188 and 190, respectively, to permit this. Next the suction head 34 is drawn rearwardly as its racks 36 and 38 are reciprocated, as described, far enough so that the head 34 is withdrawn from the path of the cutting rollers 148 and 150, as they I are actuated transversely of cutting die 30. The move- 133 connects through stud 139 to lever 140 which is rotatable in a limited are on shaft 8. Lever 140 carries a cam follower 144 which engages the periphery of cam 146 keyed to main shaft 6. As shaft 6 rotates, cam 146 rocks lever 14%, reciprocating rod 138 vertically, rocking arms and 134 and reciprocating plate valve 132. Tension spring 131, as seen in FIG. 2, tends to actuate link 138 upwardly and to rotate lever and follower 144 about shaft 3 in a clockwise direction to maintain follower 144'in engagement with cam 146.

The die table 126 is reciprocated vertically to remove the die 30 out of the path of the suction feed head 34 at one time in the cycle, and to present the die 30 in the path of the cutting rollers 148 and 151) at another time in the cycle, under control of vertical shaft 152, FIG. 1, and a roller 154 secured to shaft 152. The shaft 152 is actuated by a bracket 156 secured to the top of another shaft 158. Shaft 158 is connected to elements, not shown, comprising a'follower which engages a track in a cam mounted on main shaft 6. These and the operation of the die table 126, together with the die 30, are described in detail in Patent 2,467,172, mentioned in the foregoing.

The cutting rollers 148 and 150, FIG. 3 are mounted on shafts 164 and 166 carried on bearing brackets 163 and 170, supported by and rotatable on shaft 172, carried by bearing bracket 174, secured to a carriage 176, actuatable in guideway 178. The carriage is reciprocated by means, not shown, but well known in the art, comprising a rocker arm, a cam follower, and a cam track, on a cam mounted on main shaft 6. Details of the cutting rollers and their operating mechanism may be learned from reference to Patent 2,405,867, further identified in the foregoing.

Before operation is started, the upper feed roll 82 is raised out of engagement with the lower feed roll 72 to permit the web W to be threaded through the feed rolls. To allow for this, the shaft on which the upper feed roll is mounted isv provided with an eccentric, FIG. 1, secured to which is a lever 182. By means of the lever 182 the upper roller 82 may be lifted upward during threading. Lever 182 is urged downwardly by a spring 184 connected between lever 182 and a projection on the frame of the machine, to maintain proper engagement between rollers 72 and 82 while they are feeding the tobacco web.

The operation of the machine is as follows with reference to FIG. 1. First, the upper feed roller 82 is lifted as described in the foregoing and the tobacco web material W is threaded between the feed rollers '72 and 82. The leading edge of the web W is drawn forward until it is adjacent to the edge 186, FIG. 3, of the die 30. The feed rollers are then closed. When the machine is started,

the suction valve 98 is actuated, in the manner described,

so that suction is applied to the platform 32 and removed .from the web feed suction box 34. Then the racks 36 and ment of the suction head toward the rear is greater than its movement forward, after picking up the leading edge of the web W, to provide adequate space, so that the suc tion head 34 clears the bracket 170 in which the rollers 14S and are mounted. The cutting operation is performed during the'transit of the rollers 148 and 150, and when they have moved out of the path of the suction head 34, the suction head is advanced until its front edge is again adjacent to the edge 186 of the die 33. This operation is completed bythe time the cutting operation is completed. The camwhich controls the motion of the suction head 34 has such a contour, that the front edge. of the suction box remains in aposition adjacent to the edge 136 of the die 30, while suction is transferred from the platform 32 to the suction box 34.

After the cutting operation, the cut binder or wrapper is presented to a suction head on another transfer mechanism and transferred thereby to another table where the next succeeding operation is performed. During this operation the cut trim is scavenged. The mechanism which performs these operations is shown and described in the Patent 2,568,067, further identified in the foregoing.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigar manufacturing machine, a'wide continuous tobacco web, a tobacco web feed mechanism for a hinder or wrapper cutter for a machine made cigar, said mechanism having a fixed suction table, a travelling suction head, a die having a length substantially equal to the width of said web and having a width less than one-half of the length of said die, said die oriented with its width in alignment with the line of motion of said head, and means for intermittently reciprocating said head between said table and said die to transport a leading end of said web across said die, said orientation minimizingthe distance said web is required to be transported.

2. In a cigar manufacturing web feed machine for cutting binders or wrappers for cigars, the combination of a source of tobacco web material having a width greater than the length of a hinder or wrapper, a die at least twice as long as it is wide, said die having its length disposed at right angles to the direction in which said web is fed to said die, an intermittently actuated suction head transfer for drawing said web material over said die, and means for varying the length of traverse of said transfer dependent upon the width of the die being used.

3. In a cigar manufacturing machine for cutting binders or wrappers for cigars, a die substantially longer than it is wide, a transfer suction head, a rack, said head secured on said rack, a sector gear engaging said rack, means for rocking said gear to actuate said rack and said suction head toward and away from said die, a web of tobacco material, feed rollers coacting with said suction head, in said transporting, during a part only of its movement toward said die, and means responsive to said rocking for synchronizing the motions of said head and said rollers.

4. In a cigar manufacturing machine, in combination, a source of tobacco web material, a traveling suction head, mounted on a rack, for transporting said material, a sector gear, said rack responsive to said gear, a pair of coacting feed rollers for cooperating in transporting said material,a second sector gear, said rollers responsive tosaid said width in alignment with said direction, said feeder I comprising a horizontally reciprocable suction head transfer device, first means in said machine for actuating said device for a relatively short distance to carry a length of said web material across the width of said die, and second means coacting with said first means forthereafter actuating said device for a distance greater than said first distance and in the opposite direction, to clear said die for the cutting operation.

6. In a cigar manufacturing machine, in combination, a source of web tobacco material, a die for cutting a binder or a wrapper, feed rollers coacting with a travelling suction head, for transporting said tobacco material from said source to said die, cutting rollers responsive tosaid transportingfor cutting said material, said die having a length at least several times its Width, said die disposed with its width in alignment with the direction in whichsaid tobacco material is transported to said die, to minimize the time during which tension is required to be applied to said tobacco material, a plurality of cams secured to a common cam shaft for synchronizing the motions of said feed rollers and said suction head, and means in said cams for actuating said travelling head away from said die and for returning it a distance toward said die during the cutting operation.

7. In a cigar manufacturing machine, in combination,

' a source of tobacco web material, a cutting die for cutting a binder or a wrapper from said material, said die having a length at least several times its width, a horizontally to be applied to said tobacco material during said transporting, and means for reciprocating said suctionhead away from said die and part way toward said die during the cutting operation by said die to minimize the total duration of a cycle of operation.

-8. In a cigar manufacturing machine, a source of tobacco web material, a fixed table, adie having cutters for cutting'a cigar binder, or a cigar wrapper, from said material, a horizontally reciprocable suction head'having first means for transporting said tobacco web material in a first or forward direction for a relatively short first distance from a position over said fixed table to a position over 'said die, saiddie having a relatively narrow or width dimension as compared with its length, said narrow width dimension aligned in said first direction, opposed web feed rollers coacting with said suction head in transporting said tobacco web material through said relatively short first distance in said first direction, second means coacting with said first means, for actuating said rollers intermittently, only while said suction head is transporting said web material for said relatively short first distance between said positions, third means connecting with said first means for acutating said suction head in a second or rearward direction, opposite from said first direction,

for a relatively longer distance than said first distance, to aposition rearward of said position over said fixed table, fourth means, responsive to said third means, for returning said suction head to said position over said fixed table, and means for enabling said suction head only while it is transporting said tobacco web material said relatively short first distance.

9. A machine in accordance with claim 8 in which said first means comprises a rack on which said suction head is secured and said third means comprises a first sector gear and means for reciprocating said rack through said gear.

10.'A machine in accordance with claim 9 ingwhich second sector gear having a second projection thereon and means for engaging said first and said second projections directly.

11. in a cigar manufacturing machine in combination,

a source of tobacco web material, a die for cutting a cigar hinder or wrapper from saidmaterial, a mechanism for feeding said material to said die in a first direction for a relatively short first-distance, said diebeing considerably longer than it is wide, said die being oriented "with its width in alignment with said first direction to minimize the length of travel of said mechanism in transporting said material to a position over said die and to minimize the required tension applied to a unit cross sectional area of said material to thereby reduce deformation of said material, said mechanism comprising a suction head mounted on a horizontally reciprocable rack and a pair of opposed coacting feed rollers for said web, first means for synchronizing and equalizing the linear motion of said rack and said head, from a first position, with the peripheral motion of said rollers, while said material is being fed to said die, said mechanism comprising also second means for actuating said head and said rack in a direction opposite to said' first direction for a distance greater than said first distance while said rollersare maintained stationary, and third means for actuating said rack and said head to their said first positions while still maintaining said rollers stationary, said first means comprising a first sector gear and a second sector gear, said first sector gear having a first radial arm carrying a first projection thereon, said second sector gear having a second radial arm carrying a second projection thereon engaging with said first projection, said second means comprising a.nother projection on said first radial arm, and means for delaying engagement between said other projection and said second projection until said first radial arm has been actuated through a substantial distance.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wheeler Nov. 22, 1960 I 

1. IN A CIGAR MANUFACTURING MACHINE, A WIDE CONTINUOUS TOBACCO WEB, A TOBACCO WEB FEED MECHANISM FOR A BINDER OR WRAPPER CUTTER FOR A MACHINE MADE CIGAR, SAID MECHANISM HAVING A FIXED SUCTION TABLE, A TRAVELLING SUCTION HEAD, A DIE HAVING A LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID WEB AND HAVING A WIDTH LESS THAN ONE-HALF OF THE LENGTH OF SAID DIE, SAID DIE ORIENTED WITH ITS WIDTH IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE LINE OF MOTION OF SAID HEAD, AND MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY RECIPROCATING SAID HEAD BETWEEN SAID TABLE AND SAID DIE TO TRANSPORT A LEADING END OF SAID WEB ACROSS SAID DIE, SAID ORIENTATION MINIMIZING THE DISTANCE SAID WEB IS REQUIRED TO BE TRANSPORTED. 